Does this Carrera look all original? HEUER 1153N Carrera Vintage Calibre 15 Vintage 1972 Blue Dial C

KRR · Feb 28, 2020

Although this watch was listed as an N instead of an S, my research seemed to indicate that it was legit and seemed original but I'm no expert. I blew up the pictures the seller used. Wondering if anyone might weigh in.

Hubert · Feb 29, 2020

Moved thread to the Vintage forum.

SteveP · Feb 29, 2020

I can't see a problem with this-the booklet seems to have been written in a rush which isn't uncommon. I'm assuming that is the serial number under 'model number' does it match the watch? It will give a good indication but I personally think it unlikely this has been switched from an N to a S.

KRR · Feb 29, 2020

SteveP
I can't see a problem with this-the booklet seems to have been written in a rush which isn't uncommon. I'm assuming that is the serial number under 'model number' does it match the watch? It will give a good indication but I personally think it unlikely this has been switched from an N to a S.

Thank you. I think the N/S issue may just have been a mistake in the listing. I was wondering if the hands, dial, etc looked correct with more experienced eyes. The seller was called out on a few issues with an omega a few years ago it seems so made me nervous.

SteveP · Feb 29, 2020

No problem. This afternoon (and after my above reply) I found the listing which has now ended, so I understand your concerns too. It does seem a little strange both the listing and booklet show 1153N. All the features seem correct for that dial though-all hands and tachy ring. I would just be asking for the actual serial number if it were me!
Thanks, Steve

KRR · Feb 29, 2020

Thank you. This is what i saw on on the dash. It's tricky depending on the light. I'm completely new to this sphere. (I still wear my grandfather's timex so I have a lot to learn).

KRR · Feb 29, 2020

And the 7 hour looks a little misaligned.

abrod520 · Feb 29, 2020

It looks correct, but I can't read anything in the booklet. And yes, that 7 marker is no good. These are fairly plentiful and aren't terribly expensive in the grand scheme of vintage watches, so I'd set some eBay alerts and keep looking. Chrono24 will have a bunch of these too.

KRR · Feb 29, 2020

Hi,
I’ve got the watch and looking it over. So far, the only issues seem to be the number 7 bar being slightly misaligned and I can’t find a serial number anywhere to check the booklet against. Would the misalignment be a big spend assuming all else is correct? I have a fairly good price on it from what I’ve watched.

Calibre11 · Feb 29, 2020

K KRR
Hi,
I’ve got the watch and looking it over. So far, the only issues seem to be the number 7 bar being slightly misaligned and I can’t find a serial number anywhere to check the booklet against. Would the misalignment be a big spend assuming all else is correct? I have a fairly good price on it from what I’ve watched.

If you haven't already, I'd check the serial number that should be engraved between the lugs to see if it matches the papers.

KRR · Feb 29, 2020

Calibre11
If you haven't already, I'd check the serial number that should be engraved between the lugs to see if it matches the papers.

KRR · Feb 29, 2020

No number I can see. Maybe it was sanded out?
It’s odd, as the watch looks good otherwise but the seller maybe really wanted that book to match.

Calibre11 · Mar 1, 2020

Hmm. That is odd. If the numbers had matched, then we could have just assumed that the “N” was a mistake instead of “S”.

But without that, it’s hard to conclude that the papers are original to the watch.

abrod520 · Mar 1, 2020

The serial numbers on these Carrera cases are often worn off due to their placement right on the top lip that you see there, so that in and of itself wouldn't be a red flag. However, I wouldn't add any extra value for the booklet if the serial couldn't be matched, especially if there's any doubt about the model.

I'm also concerned about what other problems could be hiding given that 7 marker. The movement looks OK in photos, but unless this was crazy cheap I'd keep searching.

KRR · Mar 2, 2020

Thank you all for your responses. I've reached out to the seller to see if he has a response. So far he's gone dark on me.

abrod520 · Mar 2, 2020

I've just caught up on my eBay results and forgot that I had this one on my watch list. That seller is known for put-togethers and shoddy rebuilds; he was actually banned from the Omega Forums for selling that kind of stuff. I'd stay away from this one at any price.

Use the forum search (the magnifying glass at the top of the page near your messages) and search his username

KRR · Mar 2, 2020

Thanks. I noticed those posts after I had pushed the button on the purchase. So far I'm not sure if the issues go beyond him over-hyping and being loose with the whole provenance bit. Someone did clearly do a cleaning at one point and probably nocked that 7 though, then reglued it. Crazy he's got so many stellar reviews if he's loose with the truth on such a regular basis.

KRR · Mar 3, 2020

K KRR
Thanks. I noticed those posts after I had pushed the button on the purchase. So far I'm not sure if the issues go beyond him over-hyping and being loose with the whole provenance bit. Someone did clearly do a cleaning at one point and probably nocked that 7 though, then reglued it. Crazy he's got so many stellar reviews if he's loose with the truth on such a regular basis.

Interesting. He’s saying it wasn’t serviced by him but someone called Ernst SA. I can’t find any notice of that place at all.